Hi, I previously dabbled with a Matrox double head to go, and loved the concept, but hated the fact I had a bezel join right down the middle... so stopped using it and got myself a 30inch monitor instead.I am contemplating wether to revisit the set up, but using a triple head. On the spec it seems to be limited to triple 1280 x1024, which is a bit low for my liking. i already have 2 24 inch monitors as well as the 30 inch so would buy another 24 inch if required and was hoping to run at 1920 x 1200 on all 3.Can this be done? I have a GTX580 card. Will this be powerful enough? Or can I use any combination of what I have already. basically looking for some advice as the best way to get this et up, and what I can expect in terms of performance. I do also have another PC that I can add to the mix, perhaps using wideFS or similar.Any input appreciated, Cheers, Mark

Hi, I previously dabbled with a Matrox double head to go, and loved the concept, but hated the fact I had a bezel join right down the middle... so stopped using it and got myself a 30inch monitor instead.I am contemplating wether to revisit the set up, but using a triple head. On the spec it seems to be limited to triple 1280 x1024, which is a bit low for my liking. i already have 2 24 inch monitors as well as the 30 inch so would buy another 24 inch if required and was hoping to run at 1920 x 1200 on all 3.Can this be done? I have a GTX580 card. Will this be powerful enough? Or can I use any combination of what I have already. basically looking for some advice as the best way to get this et up, and what I can expect in terms of performance. I do also have another PC that I can add to the mix, perhaps using wideFS or similar.Any input appreciated, Cheers, Mark

Mark, As a guideline- A small monitor at a low resolution can produce the same visual impact as a larger monitor at a higher resolution that is placed farther away from one's eyes. And also use much less computer horsepower!To avoid the "bezel in the middle" consider using 3 smallish monitors via 2 video cards. 2D views (FwdL & FwdR) on the outer monitors can be adjusted to take into account the precise width of whatever monitor bezels you happen to have.This method time shares the CPU- two monitors are frozen (perfection in smoothness) while the third is updating. As a result you can get away with a very modest computer producing a pic that spans your full peripheral vision. As in a real cockpit!!At the risk of repetition, the attached pic shows this running smoothly on a now 7 year old 1.8 GHz CPU. (2 17" & 1 19" monitors @ 26" from the pilot's eyes.)AR

Hi January, but what about using the virtual cockpit? You are describing using 2D panels are you not? ( 3 2D views) I want to be able to use my TrackIR in the virtual cockpit, exactly as I can now, but over a widescreen view. I guess if what you describe does work in the VC, it would be just as expensive, to add another video card as buying a triple head to go. Do the cards have to be the same to do what you describe? ( I know they do to run in SLI, but this is differnt, yes? cheers, Mark

Mark, As a guideline- A small monitor at a low resolution can produce the same visual impact as a larger monitor at a higher resolution that is placed farther away from one's eyes. And also use much less computer horsepower!To avoid the "bezel in the middle" consider using 3 smallish monitors via 2 video cards. 2D views (FwdL & FwdR) on the outer monitors can be adjusted to take into account the precise width of whatever monitor bezels you happen to have.This method time shares the CPU- two monitors are frozen (perfection in smoothness) while the third is updating. As a result you can get away with a very modest computer producing a pic that spans your full peripheral vision. As in a real cockpit!!At the risk of repetition, the attached pic shows this running smoothly on a now 7 year old 1.8 GHz CPU. (2 17" & 1 19" monitors @ 26" from the pilot's eyes.)AR

Many of have moved on to FSX, VCs, TrackIRs, HD textures, video card hardware that gives us crisp images (AA etc), add-ons that are FSX only and therefore have limited options other than TH2GO to utilize surround monitors. I am hopeful (perhaps dreaming too much) that nvidia/ATI can expand on their current multiscreen offerings and somehow provide us with the ability of recreating what you have achieved only with the above mentioned current FSX environment.

Many of have moved on to FSX, VCs, TrackIRs, HD textures, video card hardware that gives us crisp images (AA etc), add-ons that are FSX only and therefore have limited options other than TH2GO to utilize surround monitors. I am hopeful (perhaps dreaming too much) that nvidia/ATI can expand on their current multiscreen offerings and somehow provide us with the ability of recreating what you have achieved only with the above mentioned current FSX environment.

Scott- "multi monitors" via dual video cards works with FSX also. The setup & bezel correction is done in the Camera settings- while in FS9, Panel Config is used. There is considerable discussion on the merits of 2D presentation vs Virtual. I prefer the former as being most realistic since every gauge, dial,switch etc is always in the exact same location on the screens. I believe this is the reason that the FAA will not certify Flight Training Devices that employ Virtual. And of course, commercial motion simulators have long used triple projectors to display the outside world on a wrap around screen. Multi monitors achieve the same wrap around thru' angling them so that the center point of each is square to the pilot's eyes. But the panel designers need to create 2D cockpits to take advantage of the very wide scene that is available with multiple monitors. Real cockpits or flight decks are much wider than the presentation in a single monitor- regardless of whether Virtual or 2D. So instead of simple popups for various instruments, we need complete cockpit segments for views LF/F/RF. Such an arrangement would work nicely whether for 1,2 or 3 monitors being used.Thanks for your thoughtful comments.AR

...On the spec it seems to be limited to triple 1280 x1024, which is a bit low for my liking....

That's not correct: TH2Go (digital edition) supports up to 3 x 1920 x 1080 at 50 Hz max resolution. Cheers,- jahman.

OK, all useful stuff, it looks like 1920 x 1080 is the maximum possible. Considering that I want to be able to pan and swivel my head, in dogfights, and scenery view, it is imperative that I have good function using trackIR and the VC. January, do I understand correctly that your view as shown is fixed, that you cant for example use the hat switch to pan views?So given that, what would you recommend? What can be achieved for example with 2 video cards in the same PC, or by using 2 PC's networked together? Or is the only way to really get what I want to use the triple head or eyefinity on an ATI card? And what are the likely performance implications for me? Cheers, mark

...it is imperative that I have good function using trackIR and the VC....

If you go the VC way, FSX must think it is rendering the VC on a single screen, therefore you have to go the TH2Go route or you can use a video card with three or more outputs, like the Radeon Eyefinity, provided the card's video driver supports joining multiple screens into a single screen like the TH2Go does. If you go the Eyefinity way, only two of the six mini DisplayPorts support the cheap passive mini DisplayPort-to-DVI adapters, so for the third monitor you would need a more expensive active adapter for a DVI monitor (and no adapters needed of course if all your monitors sport DisplayPort ports).Cheers,- jahman.

OK, all useful stuff, it looks like 1920 x 1080 is the maximum possible. Considering that I want to be able to pan and swivel my head, in dogfights, and scenery view, it is imperative that I have good function using trackIR and the VC. January, do I understand correctly that your view as shown is fixed, that you cant for example use the hat switch to pan views?Cheers, mark

Mark-the views are set on multiple outer monitors via the Num KB. So technically, you could momentarily change the view Forward Right to view Right by clicking on the right monitor,then keying num KB 6. When you release the 6 key, you would key 9 to reset it back to the original View FwdR. A bit clumsy!Panning I think via TrackIR would more closely approximate what a fighter pilot sees under a bubble canopy.(If you can't scan 360º instantly in a fighter you will likely have a short life expectancy!)The view with triple monitors probably comes reasonably close to what a pilot in a conventional non fighter plane sees without actually turning his head- a Field of View of about 145º. (Normal human vision spans about 180º but from 150-180º is mostly just motion or shadow detection. Triple monitors produces a view of about 145º.AR

OK, all useful stuff, it looks like 1920 x 1080 is the maximum possible. Considering that I want to be able to pan and swivel my head, in dogfights, and scenery view, it is imperative that I have good function using trackIR and the VC. January, do I understand correctly that your view as shown is fixed, that you cant for example use the hat switch to pan views?So given that, what would you recommend? What can be achieved for example with 2 video cards in the same PC, or by using 2 PC's networked together? Or is the only way to really get what I want to use the triple head or eyefinity on an ATI card? And what are the likely performance implications for me? Cheers, mark

Im in London too Mark. I have TH2GO. Let me know if you want to sell the 30 inch as I am looking to purchase.

Hi,I'm running three Samsung Syncmaster T260HD monitors at a resolution of 5760x1200x32 with two ASUS ENGTX480 video boards. The VC view is incredible, I could never go back to one monitor. I stoped using the TH2Go-Digital because I was unable to get my monitors native resolution of 1920x1200.

Hi, I previously dabbled with a Matrox double head to go, and loved the concept, but hated the fact I had a bezel join right down the middle... so stopped using it and got myself a 30inch monitor instead.I am contemplating wether to revisit the set up, but using a triple head. On the spec it seems to be limited to triple 1280 x1024, which is a bit low for my liking. i already have 2 24 inch monitors as well as the 30 inch so would buy another 24 inch if required and was hoping to run at 1920 x 1200 on all 3.Can this be done? I have a GTX580 card. Will this be powerful enough? Or can I use any combination of what I have already. basically looking for some advice as the best way to get this et up, and what I can expect in terms of performance. I do also have another PC that I can add to the mix, perhaps using wideFS or similar.Any input appreciated, Cheers, Mark

Ouch, I feel your pain with the dual monitor setup :) I'd say sell the 30 inch and buy another 24 inch. Then choose triplehead2go digital, nvidia surround mode or eyefinity. You could search avsim for all the multi-monitor setup threads to compare the pros and cons of each solution. Basically, surround mode and eyefinity will usually give better performance as those cards are optimized for huge resolutions, although those cards are pretty pricey.You can use vc panning, track-ir, ezdok and all such great things with either solution. Beware of the resolution limitation with the triplehead2go and that LCD monitors really, really want to run at their native resolution to look good.Regarding wideFS (or wideview rather) or using multiple views... I'd say you really don't want to go 10 years back in time. It's not fair to even compare those solutions to modern technologies. (I'm not going to repeat my usual rants here).

Hi, I previously dabbled with a Matrox double head to go, and loved the concept, but hated the fact I had a bezel join right down the middle... so stopped using it and got myself a 30inch monitor instead.I am contemplating wether to revisit the set up, but using a triple head. On the spec it seems to be limited to triple 1280 x1024, which is a bit low for my liking. i already have 2 24 inch monitors as well as the 30 inch so would buy another 24 inch if required and was hoping to run at 1920 x 1200 on all 3.Can this be done? I have a GTX580 card. Will this be powerful enough? Or can I use any combination of what I have already. basically looking for some advice as the best way to get this et up, and what I can expect in terms of performance. I do also have another PC that I can add to the mix, perhaps using wideFS or similar.Any input appreciated, Cheers, Mark

NV Surround requires 2 videocards, so you will need to get another GTX 580, or sell the GTX 580 and buy 2 lesser cards.Eyefinity only requires 1 Eyefinity capable videocard, but seems to have it's own issues as well.Pick your poison. lol

Hi,I'm running three Samsung Syncmaster T260HD monitors at a resolution of 5760x1200x32 with two ASUS ENGTX480 video boards. The VC view is incredible, I could never go back to one monitor. I stoped using the TH2Go-Digital because I was unable to get my monitors native resolution of 1920x1200.

Mike,do you use Windowed mode ?I understood that with multiple graphics cards the fps will drop, like when using undocked views... My setup uses 3 26" outside view monitors and I was thinking about adding another one, but do not want the fps drop to much.

Mike,do you use Windowed mode ?I understood that with multiple graphics cards the fps will drop, like when using undocked views... My setup uses 3 26" outside view monitors and I was thinking about adding another one, but do not want the fps drop to much.

I can add a little to the question of performance with multi GPUs.Using 3 monitors-each displaying a separate 2D view (LFwd,Fwd,RFwd), the displayed frame rate is approx. half of single monitor rate. In setting up any airplane/flight, I adjust FS settings/sliders to achieve a steady 30-50 FPS with a SINGLE VIEW and only one monitor active. Activating a second monitor and view, drops FPS to about 20-35. A third monitor and view drops it to 15-25. Remember there is only ONE CPU.15 may sound low, but keep in mind, that is for the one monitor being updated- the other two monitors are frozen at that moment and can be said to have an infinitely HIGH frame rate- Perfection!If the angle of the outer views has been accurately corrected for bezel separation between monitors, one's eyes/brain sees the three views as a single picture- 2/3 of which is always ROCK STEADY. If the update rate (fps)for the third monitor remains above the rate of persistency of vision (about 15 fps) then the whole is seen as a very smooth picture. I refer to this phenomenon as the magic of multi monitors!Incidentally, if I get into some really heavy duty scenery such as a night landing at KLAX, the FPS may drop well below 15. HOWEVER the flight motion continues to be smooth and very flyable right down to about 7 FPS. The penalty in this situation is that nearby OBJECTS such as blue runway lights will chatter as they flash past wintips.As long as FPS remains above 7, the airplane motion is smooth although nearby objects may chatter.And all this on a 1.8 GHz CPU.AR